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dan72 wrote:Not claiming it was intentional, but it was self inflicted. My job requires me to type on a keyboard. If I punch a wall and brake my hand and can no longer type, what do you think will happen to me. I'm pretty sure I would get fired.

I don't mean to split hairs but Roberts hit himself UNINTENTIONALLY, while punching a wall is kind of an intentional act. Is there a better analogy you can think of?

I'm pretty much on board with ofahn. At this point there's no reason not to let Roberts come to camp, compete, and see if he can defy the odds and earn a spot on the 25-man roster. As long as the team goes into spring training with a clear understanding that a 25-man roster spot is a reward for how he performs in 2013, not a thank you for what he's done over the last decade. Ideally Roberts would make the decision easy on them and retire to the 60-day DL if he can't put it together, but if he's not willing to do that they need to be willing to make a difficult decision.

A_K wrote:Ideally Roberts would make the decision easy on them and retire to the 60-day DL if he can't put it together, but if he's not willing to do that they need to be willing to make a difficult decision.

Neither DD or Buck are invested in him so I can see it being easier for them to make the hard choice. It's Angelos I'm worried about.......................

ofahn wrote:Neither DD or Buck are invested in him so I can see it being easier for them to make the hard choice. It's Angelos I'm worried about.......................

I agree. Especially at this point. Now that the team is actually good they really cannot afford to leave Roberts on the roster because of his history with the team. If Angelos pushes it I think Buck and DD will change his mind.

Matt P wrote:No, that was the second time. The first time was when he struck out and hit himself in the head out of frustration.

Brian Roberts is a high energy player. It's what allows him to play beyond his skill set. He reacted in frustration to a failure as many other players have, and it cost him and the team. Was it reckless? Maybe, but on the list of things that players have done that have caused them to lose playing time this was certainly one of the more freakish and I have no doubt that, if he thought it would cost him even ONE day of playing time, he would not have done it. I'm willing to give him a pass on it.

I love players that play hard ie. Pete Rose and Bryce Harper etc. The problem I think a lot of fans have is that they can't get past the financial part of it. If this was a marginal MLB player making league minimum I'm sure no one would give a care. Thats not the case here. Brian was an all star and at one time the best player on the team thus earning himself a big contract. We have essentially paid him about 20 million dollars the last 2 season and gotten nothing out of him. Thats the real issue. I know he did not intentionally injure himself. He is one of the nicest, kindest players you will ever meet. I wish him all the best. Like I said before, I hope he does return to pre concusion Brian, I just don't think there is a very high probability of that.

ofahn wrote:Brian Roberts is a high energy player. It's what allows him to play beyond his skill set. He reacted in frustration to a failure as many other players have, and it cost him and the team. Was it reckless? Maybe, but on the list of things that players have done that have caused them to lose playing time this was certainly one of the more freakish and I have no doubt that, if he thought it would cost him even ONE day of playing time, he would not have done it. I'm willing to give him a pass on it.

He has hit himself in the head with the bat after striking out hundreds of times as he put it. It's not as if it was the only time he ever did it. He has gotten paid 20 million dollars to do nothing the last 2 years because of something he did to himself and there is a good chance he will get another 10 million this year for doing nothing. I don't get how someone who is going to get 30 million over 3 years for contributing nothing gets a pass.